Halloween Classroom Treats Without Sweets

Beyond Candy: What to Bring to Your Child’s Class

Oct 2, 2008

Candy isn't even allowed in some schools anymore, so what are some alternatives to sweets that kids can still enjoy for a classroom Halloween party?

Cupcakes used to be standard fare at classroom Halloween parties. But nowadays, with allergies and concerns about kids getting too much sugar (which they’ll get plenty of on Halloween night anyway), here are some ideas for classroom Halloween celebrations that don’t include candy or cake.

Halloween Games

Kids love Halloween-themed games. Pin-the-face-on-the-pumpkin is an easy-to-make Halloween activity. Simply use a large posterboard pumpkin and cut out a bunch of black felt eyes, noses and mouth pieces. Attach pieces of Velcro to the pumpkin face and the back of the face pieces. Tell kids to close their eyes or use a black scarf for a blindfold, and line the kids up to place eyes or a nose or a mouth on the pumpkin. Or, do a Halloween ring toss using a real pumpkin and some plastic bracelets. Give Halloween stickers as rewards for the games.

Halloween Crafts

There are tons and tons of cute Halloween craft ideas, many of which can be purchased pre-packaged from Oriental Trading.com. Or, come up with a classroom Halloween craft on your own. If kids make the classic ghost lollipops with tissues and Tootsie Roll pops (add googly eyes), they won’t be actually eating the pop and probably won’t even want to "wreck" it later to eat it!

If kids are wearing Halloween costumes to school for the party, bring a Polaroid camera and take pictures. Having the kids make homemade Halloween-themed magnet frames for their pictures is a great activity and lets them bring something home the same day for moms to hang in the fridge.

Halloween Songs and Books

If the kids have lots of other Halloween activities going on the classroom already, think about bringing in a Halloween movie like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Spongebob’s Halloween, Monster House, Corpse Bride, or Nightmare Before Christmas.

Kids love Halloween stories. Some great choices for Halloween storybooks you can read to the kids include Ten Timid Ghosts (Cartwheel, 2000), The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything (HarperTrophy, 1988), The Night Before Halloween (Grossett and Dunlap, 1999), or Goosebumps (Scholastic, various years)stories for older kids.

Halloween Treats

You can still give out Halloween treats that are non-candy. Make goodie bags using purchased Halloween treat bags or simply plain brown paper bags with a cute Halloween stamp or sticker in the center and the children’s names. In the bags you could include glow sticks, Halloween stickers or tattoos, spider rings, eyeball bouncy balls or other treats.

By using some of these non-candy activities and goodies, the kid won’t even notice there aren’t any sweets.

(The "creature" featured in the photo is simply a cut apple slice with almond 'teeth')

The copyright of the article Halloween Classroom Treats Without Sweets in Kids Holiday Activities is owned by Mary McCarthy. Permission to republish Halloween Classroom Treats Without Sweets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.